Gloucester City Board of Education Unveils Photo of New Million Dollar Middle-School Stadium
Friday, July 15, 2016
CORRECTION/UPDATED
Related: City Taxes Increase Once Again
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet
GLOUCESTER CITY N.J. —The Gloucester City Board of Education displayed a photo (above) of the $1 million athletic field being constructed behind the new middle school at Market and 5th Streets at its July 12 meeting. As far as CNBNews has been able to determine Gloucester City will have the only middle school in South Jersey with an artificial turf football stadium and track field at its disposal. Last month the school board spent $125,000 to install the electrical infrastructure to light the stadium at night if so desired.
In December John Kenney, facilities director said the field will need to be maintained eight hours a week, "The District will need to purchase turf cleaning and grooming equipment@ an estimated cost of $8000. Turf material costs are estimated at $1500 to 2000 per year. The field will be "tufted" ( lines in turf) for soccer, field hockey, and football. Painting of field lines for daily physical education activities and sports team usage will not be required. Maintenance of the field/track area is estimated at 8 hours per week. Our existing staff will be trained in turf field maintenance prior to the opening of the new school."
Related: Nearly $1 Million to Build Middle School Stadium
Related: Gloucester City Taxes and School Taxes Increase Once Again
After the photo was shown to the public Superintendent Joseph Rafferty said that he and several other administrators have been to Trenton to pick out furniture and different items for the new school, according to The South Jersey Observer.
Kenney said the work on the $87 million middle school is progressing. “Painting of the classrooms has started. Most of the concrete around the site is done. Roof work is about 90% done. Fencing work around the site is about half way completed. There are about 130 people working down there. Final completion is early December,” he said.”
The Gloucester City’s teachers union and the school board has reached an impasse in their contract negotiations. Solicitor Frank Cavallo, Jr. said the Board has filed a ‘Notice of Impasse’ with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). “I received a letter on July 11 informing me that they are investigating our filing and that a mediator would be assigned shortly,” he said.
Former athletic director and football coach Leon Harris assumed the vacant board seat of Patrick Hagan who resigned. Monthly bills totaling $4,196.782 were approved. The Board will meet on Wednesday, August 3 for its caucus and its regular meeting will be on Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Both meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Gloucester High School School media center, Market Street, and Rt. 130.
Related: Gloucester City Board of Education Declares Impasse